Studies on the role of specific molecules in the human fertilization process and additional assessment of potential applications for these proteins are hampered by the limited amounts of available biological material. The ability to isolate and characterize mRNA populations from human oocytes at different stages of oogenesis would facilitate the identification and characterization of genes involved in oogenesis, oocyte maturation, fertilization and embryo implantation. The technical objectives of the Phase I proposal are directed towards the construction and characterization of a human oocyte cDNA library and Serial Analysis of Gene Expression (SAGE) catalog. Once feasibility has been determined, additional developmental stage-specific oocytes SAGE catalogs will be constructed and used for the identification of novel stage-specific biomarkers, factors critical for oocyte maturation, and candidate targets for diagnostic tests for infertility and the design for contraceptives. PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATIONS: Commercial applications include the production of an oocyte cDNA library and SAGE catalog as well as the identification of novel candidate targets that might be used for contraceptive development, infertility diagnosis, genetic disease of embryonic development analysis, human oogenesis staging and in vitro maturation and fertilization.